SB 79 allocates $2 million from the state general fund to New Mexico's Department of Health for mosquito surveillance, prevention, and control efforts during fiscal years 2027 and 2028. The bill specifically allows the Department to distribute up to $1.5 million in grants to local governments and state educational institutions for mosquito-related projects. Any unspent funds by the end of 2028 must return to the general fund. This is a funding measure, not a new policy, directly supporting public health agencies and local entities managing mosquito risks.
HB 156 would repeal specific vaccination-related provisions from New Mexico's 2025 First Special Session laws (Laws 2025, 1st S.S., Ch. 5, §§ 8-13). These repealed sections would have otherwise taken effect on July 1, 2026, governing certain vaccination policies. The bill removes these provisions from state law, effectively eliminating the requirements they established. As of now, the bill has passed committee hearings but remains pending legislative action.
HB 13 creates the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact, allowing occupational therapists and assistants licensed in one participating state to practice in other member states without obtaining a new license. It directly affects licensed therapists seeking to work across state lines, patients accessing services in different states, and military spouses relocating with their partners. Key mechanisms include establishing "compact privilege" for interstate practice, requiring states to share disciplinary and investigative information through a national data system, and supporting telehealth delivery of services. The bill aims to improve access to occupational therapy while maintaining each state's authority to protect public health and safety through existing licensure standards.
HB 235 requires medical examiners to conduct detailed autopsies and report specific sudden unexpected deaths of people under 20 to state and national health registries. It applies to sudden cardiac deaths in apparently healthy young people without known heart disease, unexplained natural deaths under 20, and infant deaths under one year (whether explained or unexplained). Autopsies must include toxicology, microscopic studies, and a review of medical and immunization records, with a focus on vaccines given within 90 days of death. The findings will be submitted to the New Mexico state registrar and a national CDC/NIH registry to standardize data collection for public health research.
